Rumors

The Sony PlayStation 4 was officially announced during the PlayStation 2013 Meeting (20th February 2013), however that didn't stopped copious rumors from surfacing prior to this announcement. This page documents the rumors of the unreleased, unconfirmed product, and much of the information is based on speculation, rumored features and alleged leaks -- all of which should be properly sourced. Do not take everything here as fact.

Rumors

Pricing and Release

On March 28, 2012, a "reliable source" told Kotaku that the next PlayStation console (codenamed Orbis) will be launched maybe as soon as late 2013. [1]

Sony France CEO Philippe Cardon stated that the company is in no rush to reveal its plans for the PS4 [2] and Sony's Kaz Harai said that there will be no PlayStation 4 announcements at E3 2012. [3] In addition, Sony's Jack Tretton told IGN that he would be "distracted" by PS4 if it came out in 2012. [4]

Controllers

Another rumor surrounding the PlayStation 4 is that Sony is going to be leaving behind their trademark Dual Shock controller design in favor of a more integrated design. Some reports claim that the new controller will include new additions ranging from an integrated LCD touch screen to biometric sensors on the grips. A second source explained that Sony was supposedly trying to emulate the UI philosophies behind the Vita, and this is what inspired the whole touch screen thing. [7]

Other sources claim that the new controller will be more integrated with the PS Move technology, and will be two separate controllers held together by magnets. [8]

We can file this rumor as confirmed. According to a trusted source, the below pictire is in fact an early prototype for the PlayStation 4 controller. With the below being a prototype, is is almost a gurantee that the final version will be altered from what we are currently seeing.

The picture beow is an image of a concept for a Sony controller rom one of their patents

Sharing

The new console from Sony will supposedly feature a "Share" button, allowing users to capture screenshots and up to 15 minutes of video to share online with friends. These clips will be able to be edited, and then shared online. [9]

New PlayStation Eye

According to pictures a design firm posted, it looks as if there may be a new version of the PlayStation Eye that will be available. [10]

Cell Phone Control

Kotaku also reports that there may be the ability to control the new console with a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. The sketches specifically pointed to what looks like a karaoke game. [11]

Anti-Used Game Measures and PS3 Compatibility

Kotaku's source goes on to report that the console will feature anti-used games measures, with which games will be tied to one PSN account, and that it will not feature backwards compatibility with any previous generation PlayStation games. [12]

Possible PS4 Games in Production

Next-Gen Call of Duty - Developer Infinity Ward posted a job listing on its site calling for a senior animator "with experience in game development and an interest in working with next-generation technologies." [13]

Bethesda Next-Gen Project - A job listing on Bethesda's site calls for "experienced programmers to work on cutting-edge technology for an unannounced game on future-generation consoles." [14]

Naughty Dog Project - Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells believes the prospect of developing for PlayStation 4 is "terrifying" as the studio looks into what its next project will be. [15]

Ready at Dawn Next-Gen Game - The developers of the God of War PSP games are developing "an exciting new AAA IP for a Next-Generation home console game system." [16]

Next-Gen Sonic Game - Sega notes that Sonic "won't become photo-real" in next-gen games and that he "will always remain stylized and will have that bright, colorful world. What the high hardware spec will allow us to do is make that more convincing." [17]

Square-Enix "Luminous" Games - Square-Enix is showing off its "Luminous" tech engine, capable of highly realistic next-gen graphics. Luminous will make games 30% cheaper and shorten development cycles. [18]

Next-Gen Game Engines

Unreal Engine 4

When it comes to the next generation of consoles, many people want to see the technology that will be powering their favorite games. One of the most popular engines in use today is the Unreal Engine 3, which is used in titles like DMC (Devil May Cry), and the upcoming Bioshock Infinite.

The next iteration of the engine is Unreal Engine 4(shown Below). This next generation engine shows us what will be possible with next-gen games.

Below is a break down of the Unreal Engine 4 demo.

Luminous Game Engine

Another Upcoming enginge is the Luminous Game Engine. This was shown off at E3 2012 as Agni's Philosphy a possible Final Fantasy game. This tech demo was shown in real time and is said to be in development for Game Consoles, PC, Smart Phones, and the web

CryEngine3

This Game Engine is Already in use today on games like Crysis 3. Its beautiful, powerful, and can already produce next-gen games.